Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Sergeant W. J. Dean, Royal Army Service Corps, who was based in Japanese Occupied Tientsin Area, China in 1939 and later served in Airborne Forces in Palestine

General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine, Palestine 1945-48 (T/61894 Dvr. W. J. Dean. R.A.S.C.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 1st issue (T/61894 Sgt. W. J. Dean. R.A.S.C.) light pitting and contact marks, very fine and better (6) £180-£220

W. J. Dean qualified for the Palestine clasp for service with the 17th Company, Royal Army Service Corps as a Corporal/Acting Sergeant for the period 9 November 1937 to 12 April 1939. After this he was sent to the Tienstin Blockade in China and in June 1939, as a Lance Sergeant, he was ill in hospital and by August 1939 he was still present in Tienstin having been promoted Sergeant. The Tientsin Area was responsible for the British concession in the Chinese city of Teinstin (now called Tianjin). During the War between Japan and China, the City of Tientsin was captured by Japanese troops on 30 July 1937. Japan, however, respected the foreign concessions in the city and the British troops were remained in situ until December 1939.

Dean qualified for the Palestine 1945-48 clasp for service with an Air Despatch Company, R.A.S.C., serving as an Acting Company Sergeant Major. The Air Despatch Companies were first formed within the British Army’s Royal Army Service Corps from March 1944. This was in preparation for the upcoming D-Day landings and North West Europe Campaigns. Some of these Air Despatch Companies saw action in Operation Market Garden, at Arnhem in September 1944, the largest airborne operation of all time. Dean was still serving as a Sergeant March 1953.